


The Fight

by Aithilin



Series: First Meetings [6]
Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Class Issues, Friendship, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-04
Updated: 2017-04-04
Packaged: 2018-10-14 18:54:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 652
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10542480
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aithilin/pseuds/Aithilin
Summary: Nyx always knew that Libertus was bitter about having to leave for Insomnia-- disillusioned by the distance the king seemed to keep from his Glaives-- but this really wasn't helping.





	

In the end, Liberteus never actually met Noctis as a person in his own right. He hadn’t stumbled across them in some situation or by accident. He didn’t even really find out until Pelna let is slip when they were laughing over drinks one day. Until they were settled around in Nyx’s shitty apartment like it was the centre of their community and personal bar. Until they were ribbing each other over failed and faulty relationships and it was Pelna who let it out; 

“Seriously, the world is broken if Nyx Ulric is the one of is in the longest relationship,” Pelna had started, grinning at the salute it earned him with the bottle Nyx was holding; “And with the Prince of Lucis, for fuck’s sake.”

It hadn’t gone over well. 

Crowe had shut Pelna up. The apology was started. But it was the chuckle from Libertus that had three of the four friends suddenly on edge. 

“Right, Nyx would bag the Lucis brat.”

Nyx knew where the bitterness came from. He knew that Libertus was not a fighter— not really. He had been happiest back home, in their bar, doing the heavy lifting and laughing with the regulars. He had only followed Nyx into the fight because they were brothers, because they had something to protect. Libertus had only ever made it clear that his loyalty was to Galahd and his friends. Not to a foreign king or a city that had never been scratched by war. 

“C’mon, that’s ridiculous.”

Libertus had always held strict ideals. Family, Home, Honesty, Loyalty.

“Libs,” Nyx knew that look when he started— that realisation and denial rolling over each other. “Pelna’s got it right.”

“ _What_? That _brat_?”

“Don’t call him that.”

“A Lucis, Nyx? What, was the kid deciding to try slumming it for a while?”

“Stop talking, Libs.”

It was Crowe who interrupted, who tried to be the voice of reason. “Hey, lay off, okay? Nyx knows what he’s doing.”

“Right, of course he does,” Libertus had never been shy about calling Nyx out on his bad ideas, on his mistakes and idiocies, but this… Nyx had never actually heard the venom in his friend’s voice like this. At least not since they were both kids fighting over something stupid. “Nyx fucking Ulric always knows what he’s doing. Is fucking the prince treason? I’m pretty sure Lucis would at least lock Nyx up for that.”

“Libs, shut up,” Crowe hissed, more worried by Nyx’s quiet than Libertus’ anger. More worried by the small smile on Nyx’s lips— a small, sad little gesture. “Just, stop ruining the night, okay?”

“Oh it’s ruined, Crowe,” And Libertus was up. His chair scrapped the floor as he made the short trip from where he tossed his jacket to the door. “And this is the stupidest thing Nyx has ever done.”

It was weeks before they spoke on a friendly level again. Weeks before it was allowed to blow over into something else. Weeks before Libertus was more than just another colleague on the battlefield or in the training yards. Weeks before the rare, strained silence between them reached a breaking point and they had to either fight it out properly, or admit that this was too much between them. 

“You going to stay in Insomnia, then?” Libertus asked, a plate of familiar food between them. 

They were both bruised and bloodied, and exhausted. But Nyx answered; “I don’t know.”

“You got a home already, Nyx. We always said—”

“I know what we always said, Libs. I’m not giving up on home. I just… It’s complicated.”

“Right, complicated.”

“You could meet him, you know. Actually talk to him.”

“And say what? Hey there, your highness, I’m a nobody from nowhere, but my best friend seems to like you. Fuck that. I don’t need the reminder I’m not important to them.”

“You have no idea what’s important to them, Libs.”


End file.
